Twitter co-founder and former CEO, Jack Dorsey, has launched Bitchat messaging app, an experimental platform that allows people to communicate without internet, mobile networks, servers, SIM cards, or even user accounts.
Currently in beta on Apple’s TestFlight, Bitchat leverages Bluetooth mesh networking to facilitate encrypted, peer-to-peer communication.
According to Dorsey on his X account on Monday, July 7, 2025, Bitchat ensures communication can persist even when users are temporarily offline or disconnected from the internet.
“My weekend project to learn about bluetooth mesh networks, relays and store and forward models, message encryption models, and a few other things,” Dorsey wrote.
How Bitchat Messaging App Works
Unlike conventional chat apps that depend on centralised servers or cloud-based backups, Bitchat forms ephemeral clusters between nearby devices using Bluetooth.
According to Jack, as users move, their phones act as nodes in a mesh network, relaying encrypted messages from one device to the next.
Future versions of the app are expected to introduce WiFi Direct, which will increase both the speed and range of the platform.
Key Features of Bitchat
The key features of the Bitchat messaging app includes:
- Works without internet, SIM card, or mobile service
- Peer-to-peer encrypted messaging via Bluetooth mesh
- No user accounts, phone numbers, or email needed
- One-on-one and password-protected group messaging
- Messages stored only on local devices
- “Store and forward” technology for asynchronous delivery
- Future plans for WiFi Direct and enhanced reach
- Open-source white paper released on GitHub
What You Should Know
According to Jack, the app collects no metadata, requires no sign-up, and does not ask for a phone number, email address, or user name.
Messages are stored locally on each user’s device and disappear by default, echoing principles of ephemeral communication. Users can also opt for one-on-one encrypted chats or join password-protected group rooms searchable by hashtags.
What This Means
In an era of increasing digital surveillance and data harvesting by tech giants, Bitchat is being hailed as a privacy-first innovation by tech executives.
According to experts, the app’s approach could prove pivotal in environments plagued by surveillance, blackouts, or censorship, and it represents Dorsey’s latest attempt to dismantle reliance on traditional internet infrastructure.
What’s Next?
Although still experimental, Bitchat is now live in beta on TestFlight, a test version released to try out new features and fix any issues before the full app.
Analysts cite the release of Bitchat aligns with broader open-source decentralisation efforts across tech. With transparency, combined with its infrastructure-free operation, Bitchat could serve as a vital alternative in places where internet shutdowns or government surveillance are common.
Talking Points
Jack Dorsey’s launch of Bitchat represents a timely intervention in the growing conversation around digital autonomy, decentralisation, and privacy-first communication, especially for users operating in high-surveillance or low-connectivity environments.
The most remarkable aspect of Bitchat is its ability to function entirely without internet, SIM cards, or even user accounts. This design is socially significant, particularly for people living under authoritarian regimes or in areas with frequent network blackouts.
At Techparley, we see Bitchat as more than just an experiment, it’s a critical step toward building infrastructure-independent digital tools that prioritise user agency over platform control.
Its use of Bluetooth mesh networking and localised data storage places the user at the centre of communication, bypassing central servers and Big Tech’s data pipelines altogether. This could redefine how messaging apps are built and trusted.
However, wider adoption will hinge on real-world performance and usability. Dorsey and his team must ensure that Bitchat balances privacy with reliability, especially for those in protest zones, disaster areas, and surveillance-heavy regions.
